Concrete cleaning by Cleaned by Pete

Going to try something a bit different today a video on concrete cleaning. Done for a customer on a driveway, sidewalk, and front stoop of a lake home for sale. The lake area always has more moister in the air and promotes the growth of mold and mildew. Think of the difference your home or sale house would look like with a clean driveway, sidewalk and front stoop. More curb appeal never hurt anyone but leaves a lasting impression, Call us for a quote 417-459-7869

House Washing Wednesday, safely soft washing homes in Springfield MO

House Washing Wednesday, Springfield MO

The owner called us for an estimate and said, "Bring your equipment probably will have you do it when your here". We took the portable house cleaning unit out even though it looked like rain. He had started the home worked at it several hours and decided it would not come clean. Here are some before and after pictures. Cleaned by Pete did git it cleaned, if you have given up on cleaning your home call us we can help, 417-459-7869.

Before cleaning the house look like this, dirt and dust build up on the vinyl siding.

Before cleaning the house look like this, mold, mildew, algae  on the vinyl siding. This is the side the owner cleaned with not that good of results, this is why we were called in.

Before cleaning the house look like this, mold, mildew, algae  on the vinyl siding.

Before cleaning the house look like this, mold, mildew, algae  on the vinyl siding.

Before cleaning the house look like this, mold, mildew, algae  on the vinyl siding. We have the right equipment to clean high areas on your 2 or 3 story homes safely form the ground. Most residential pressure washers or rented washers do not have that capabilities.

Before cleaning the house look like this, mold, mildew, algae  on the vinyl siding.

After a Cleaned by Pete house washing, looking a bit different now.

After a Cleaned by Pete house washing, looking a bit different now.

After a Cleaned by Pete house washing, looking a bit different now.

After a Cleaned by Pete house washing, looking a bit different now.

After a Cleaned by Pete house washing, looking a bit different now.

417-459-7869 free prompt estimates

House Washing Wednesday but on Friday

House Washing Wednesday but on Friday

This week was busy and really did have a chance to post "House Washing Wednesday" till today. A few days late but never the less here it is. So recapping it is not Wednesday and it is not even a house washing it's a pool area and the out-side furniture being cleaned and washed and readied for use this summer.

Cleaned by Pete readying furniture to be cleaned applying cleaner to top and bottom.

Cleaned by Pete cleaning the deck

Cleaning the pool deck you can see what a difference Cleaned by Pete can make.

Cleaning the pool deck you can see what a difference Cleaned by Pete can make.

Cleaning the pool deck you can see what a difference Cleaned by Pete can make.

Cleaned by Pete readying the deck for the final rinse.

Final rinse and another job is completed by Cleaned by Pete.

Showing the cleaned deck and the cleaned and washed furniture, Cleaned by Pete pool and patio furniture washing.

Cleaned by Pete finished up with the furniture washing, letting it dry in the yard to reduce drips and rust marks on the cleaned deck area.

If you have any cleaning jobs call us we can talk it over, Cleaned by Pete serving Southwest MO and the greater Springfield MO area.

417-459-7869

Wednesday time for "House Washing Wednesday"

Another thing that a power washer does is safely wash homes for their customers. Reasons for washing a home vary but we all will need to have the biggest investment we have washed or cleaned sometime for some reason. It's Wednesday time for "House Washing Wednesday" a regular instalment here showcasing our house washing skills. Here is a home that is being put on the marked, since the owner passed away. 

This little home is set in a lot with lots of trees and shrubs and need to be given some curb appeal you could not see it back in there. It has alot of growth and grime on it and the entrance walk. Cleaning this home will make it stand out and should garner a big return on the cleaning investment. The pictures say about everything else. If you need a home cleaned / washed call the best Cleaned by Pete and we can help you. Call 417-459-7869 for a free prompt estimate and visit us at our web pages and YouTube links on the right of this page. 

Before        the house washing, Cleaned by Pete        After

Before        the house washing, Cleaned by Pete        After

Before        the house washing, Cleaned by Pete        After

Before        the house washing, Cleaned by Pete        After

Before        the house washing, Cleaned by Pete        After

Sand or Coal Slag for Media Blasting

Sand or Coal Slag for Media Blasting

One of Cleaned by Pete's media blasting set-ups, with our 16 hp motor and AR nickle plated pump putting our 4000 psi @ 4 gpm pressure washer built just for media blasting. This is the one you'll see us use if we're using coal slag or sand for blasting.

We have talked about soda for water blasting and how it works, sand and coal slag do somewhat the same thing but in a different way. First thing to remember is soda is a non-abrasive substance which means it will not harm the under lying surface. On the other hand sand and coal slag is very abrasive and can harm the surface under what is being removed. Sand and coal slag (which for time I will refer to as just "slag" for the rest of the blog) come in different grades and the higher the grade the larger the partial the more aggressive it is. If your machine can move and draw the larger particles it will work fine in the water stream.

Things to remember are too much draw of media, the less aggressive it will be. If you are trying to move to much media when it hits the water stream it will slow down and will have less impact on what you are removing. You can trow a small stone with more force than you can trow a large rock with more force. It take some adjustment to get a good stream of media flowing at the right speed or draw, but once you do things will go quite fast.

I will say this here having a good screened source for sand or slag will save you time. You make money by the hour or job if you are taking longer your loosing money. If you bought some sand that was cheap there is a reason, it is not been screened to size that means it can have larger rocks or pebbles in it which can plug up the flow hose or your nozzle.

Some do not under-stand there is a cost factor with better products. Find a source and try it out, check out a couple of bags to make sure it is uniform before starting out on a customers time. Names like play-ground sand, tube sand, play sand, general use sand or "for use in concrete" are tips that the sand is not been screened for larger partials. Look for at least; mortar sand, sandblasting media, or a given size of screening if you want your job to move along smoothly. Paying a bit more for a better will work out better in the long run. Look for the graded or sized sand not just sand unless you want to screen it you would be surprised how much over sized waist there is in  a bag of ungraded sand. You're pay for it by the pound why not get only what you can use?

Sand or slag "chips" away at the surface being removed when it impacts the item sharp edges cut at what is being removed. The larger more aggressive grades will also cut or chip away at the under laying surface too. Once it has chipped it usually fractures into smaller parts reenters the water stream and impacts the surface once again but with less force this process is repeated till the particulars loses enough size or speed and is "washed out". Using too aggressive or grade may have to much impact on the under laying surface leaving it rough or gouged. Picking the right grade will come with time and experience. You need to  start with the finer grades and work your way up a finer grade will still remove the unwanted layer it may take longer but it will be safer till you have figured out your style or technique.

So what can I use we have used river sand, mortar sand and in both cases wound up have to sift it or screen it to remove the larger particulars. We have moved to just buying sand that is bagged and sold for sandblasting treating it as a consumable using it once and then disposing of it.



Coal slag is what is left over after the coal is consumed the part that did not burn up. The oil is consumed and the shell or chaff that is left is ground up and screened for size. This stuff is sharp and really cuts. I like it better than sand, there is also the arguments weather it is as bad as sand if you breath it while using it? Since we are using it as a wet media this point is mute. The water stream keeps any dust from forming. Since coal slag is a waste product I like to think it has this second life so we are getting twice the bang out of it. From my usage I feel you get a better bang form slag it is lighter and seems to flow better. I also feel it is more productive and cost less here, where I work, live and purchase it. We have three different retailers with several locations that sell coal slag in the bag ready to use. Coal slag is of course black and I have heard some call it, black sand, but it is not sand. Sand which is a silicate, coal slag is a carbon. Two different substances but both working in the same way.

Remember these two mediums are "cutter" or "chippers" and are abrasive. Cleaned by Pete use them in and with their wet media blasting service and can tell you what is right for your job call us at 417-459-7869 for your cleaning needs. Picture of this service can be found by click the web link below:
www.cleanedbypete.com
in the media blasting section or in the photo gallery.

Vinyl letter removal and replacement

The Storage Units

A while back we were asked to come and bid on @300 storage units the customer was in need of replacing the old sun-baked letters. Some of the letters were cracked dried and falling apart other were starting to chalk up and loose there color and shine. The instructions called for power washing to remove of the old vinyl letters. We went in to put in a bid on the power washing but due to the construction and the letters them selves told them power washing was out of the picture. Pressurized water had a very good chance of getting into the units under the roofing panels. Then just cleaning the one spot might leave a shadow and the years of dust under the eve would be loosen and water would make it run down the face, making more cleaning costing more.

Under the eve could force water inside the unit you can see if you looks close the brown dirt running down and dried in place. This was a unit a competitor tried to power wash.

The results of power washing with what they described as a turbo tip. The chalky paint was forced into the under laying paint where it stained it. This is why Cleaned by Pete told them we could not use the power washer to do this job.

Close up view of what the other company did with the power washer it was blasted all the way down to the metal and the green color of the numbers was impregnated into the under laying painted surface.

 I showed them how to we would do it using a vinyl pin-strip removal tool is also good for large vinyl decals that have sun-baked on a cars, trailers or RVs. This ment using a ladder on taller units and walk boards on the lower ones. Now here is  what we did, though we also could not remove some numbers 100% we removed all that would come off with out any damage.

Cleaned by Pete vinyl letter removal you can see a few spots that were left when we remove this number.

Cleaned by Pete removing the number 21 look closely you can see the 21 out line a bit yellower due to paint fade around it.

Cleaned by Pete removed and replaced the vinyl letter 21 on this unit.

We do make a living with a "power washer" but it is a tool in our cleaning arsenal not the only answer each or every time. Care should be taken with it's usage and used when it has the biggest advantage.

Working our way along on this job. Cleaned by Pete we do more than just pressure washing. Call us with your cleaning needs 417-459-7869.

One of the other units number removed and new vinyl lettering in place.

Call us at 417-459-7869 and we can see what we can do for you and your cleaning / washing needs. Cleaned by Pete your answer to those jobs you wonder how they going to get done. Please visit us at our web sites:
www.cleanedbypete.com
www.powerwashingspringfieldmo.com
www.southwestmissouripressurewashing.net
for more information and pictures of cleaning that Cleaned by Pete have done.

House Washing Wednesday Nixa MO

House Washing Wednesday, Nixa MO

House washing found us in out to do a bid on gutter cleaning in Nixa MO. We wound up washing the house to keep it from streaking because of the cleaners and over spray. Sometimes it easier to do the whole home than trying to clean just the gutters you get a better looking job and it does not cost too much more. Also washed down a few things and washed the ceiling in the upper deck area, on the second level, Cleaned by Pete house washing Nixa MO. 

Here are a few pictures of the finished job gutters nice and clean and the brick home is brighter now.

One of Cleaned by Pete's house washing rigs used for: safe "soft washing" keeping us on the ground and ladders off your home and gutters. Notice the red, silver and yellow poles sticking our of the pick-up. They extend up to 28 ft. and with our long range nozzles it will let us safely reach those high areas that need cleaning. Call us to see what we can do for you.

Cleaned by Pete is finished with this house washing in Nixa MO.

Cleaned by Pete is finished with this house washing in Nixa MO.

Cleaned by Pete is finished with this house washing in Nixa MO multi story homes don't slow us down.

Cleaned by Pete is finished with this house washing in Nixa MO.

Cleaned by Pete is finished with this house washing in Nixa MO.

Cleaned by Pete is finished with this house washing in Nixa MO.

Cleaned by Pete is finished with this house washing in Nixa MO.

If you would like a free prompt estimate on your cleaning needs call Cleaned by Pete at 417-459-7869 or visit us at our web sites  click here  or   click here  to be redirected for more information.